State revokes Pono Life Sciences medical cannabis dispensary license

The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has suspended the Notice of Violation and Order (NOVO) to revoke the medical cannabis dispensary license of Pono Life Sciences Maui, LLC, and its individual licensee, Dr. William Mitchell, Jr. Pono Life Sciences’ for a period of up to 120 days from May 28, 2021. Pono Life Sciences Maui, LLC may resume medical cannabis production and retail operations during this period pending submission of independent financial audits for 2017, 2018, and 2019.

The NOVO was issued due to the licensee’s ongoing failure to submit annual independent financial audits as required by chapter 329D, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes (HRS) and chapter 11-850, Hawai‘i Administrative Rules (HAR). During the suspension of the NOVO, the licensee has up to 60 days to submit the 2017 audit, 90 days to submit the 2018 audit, and 120 days to submit the 2019 audit. Failure to submit any of the audits within the specified time frames will result in an automatic revocation of the license. In addition, the licensee must conduct their operations in full compliance with the requirements of chapter 329D, HRS and chapter 11-850, HAR, or their license shall be revoked.